In a push for strengthened relationship between the local community and the management of the Sapo National Park, residents of the park, led by Sinoe County District #3 Representative Alex Noah, held a fruitful roundtable discussion with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
The meeting, which was a request from the district lawmaker, provided a platform for the residents to voice their concerns and present several requests to the FDA. These requests included the provision of hand pumps, scholarships, job creation, and the demarcation of the park’s boundaries.
The community dwellers, through their chairman and the lawmaker, also urged the FDA to employ some of their citizens and provide safe drinking water as a means of recognizing their role in hosting the park over the years.
Additionally, they informed the FDA management about the current living conditions of the community and the state of the park.
In response, the FDA management, represented by Managing Director Rudolph Merab, Deputy for Administration and Finance Victor W. Kpaiseh, and Deputy Director for Community, Conservation and Carbon Nora Garmai Bowier, assured the residents of a cordial working relationship in the interest of the country.
The FDA management guaranteed the construction of hand pumps through assistance from partners and the employment of qualified citizens. They also disclosed a rebranding plan that aims to transform the park and address the existing problems within it.
Representative Noah expressed the residents’ commitment to working with the FDA in preserving the Sapo National Park, which was established in 1983.
The FDA management, in turn, urged the community dwellers to protect the park and the rights of wildlife animals, as it remains the property of the FDA.
This fruitful roundtable discussion marks a significant step towards fostering a stronger partnership between the local community and the FDA, with the goal of ensuring the sustainable management and preservation of the Sapo National Park.
